T909 Pattrn. — Oynithology of Skerries, Co. Diiblin, 193 



to the sea-floor in search of small crabs and other creatures. 

 The old Terns were very astute in knowing the nearest spot 

 where fish could be obtained. When a fish was captured it 

 was conve3^ed in the beak of the parent to the young bird ; the 

 latter remained seated and kept up a continuous chattering 

 which sounded as teck-teck-teck-teck-teck. Directly the young 

 bird got the fish in its mouth the parent hastened back to the 

 same fishing spot, and, capturing a fish, fed another of its 

 brood, and so on until about twenty ixy were captured. Some 

 of the more advanced j-ouiig birds fished for themselves, others 

 rested on the sea and were fed by their parents. Presently a 

 bird, which looked very little smaller than a Black-headed 

 Gull, appeared. Its flight was almost as slow and even as that 

 of a gull, but its voice .seemed unfamiliar. The cry, though 

 much harsher, seemed like the wailing ydd-tvah of the Black- 

 headed Gull when broken up into more syllables with the con- 

 sonant / attached to each, thus : ydt-dt-zvcii, yCit-at-zvat. This 

 gave one the idea that the sound proceeded from a Black- 

 headed Gull, with a very hoarse and choking voice. Another of 

 the same species soon appeared, and watching both with my 

 binocular I was pleased to identify them as Sandwich Terns. 

 Hitherto I had not noted this species from the Dublin 

 coast. In the midst of the Guillemots and Razorbills I ob- 

 served a Great-crested Grebe. It was an adult bird, but with 

 most of the ' frill ' moulted off. The graceful form and car- 

 riage of this species attracts the observer. When not diving 

 (and sometimes quite a long time elapsed before the bird went 

 down) the slight arching of its long slender neck gave the 

 bird a graceful, almost swan-like, appearance on the water. 

 Just before diving, the neck was occasionally retracted and 

 coiled, and the bird looked intently on the water as if en- 

 deavouring to follow the movements of a fish below. But the 

 moment the body was tilted, and just as the head disappeared, 

 the neck was put on the stretch. Only a few faint ripples in- 

 dicated the spot where the Grebe went down. On looking out 

 to sea I next noticed a dark brown bird flying towards the 

 land. The flight was rapid, resembling that of a Peregrine, 

 and as the bird struck at a Redshank in a most determined 

 manner, I thought for a moment it was a bird of prey. How- 

 ever, the Redshank was not seized, and with my glass I made 



A 3 



